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From Speedos to suits - a string of Sydney's surf lifesaving clubs are going corporate to raise money in an increasingly tight fundraising market.

Six clubs on the northern beaches - Freshwater, Long Reef, South Narrabeen, Warriewood, Mona Vale and Avalon - have joined forces, renting out their beachfront clubhouses for business meetings.

Surf lifesavers help run activities for the pinstripes, ranging from "passive corporate sand-castle building" to surf carnivals.

Martin Phillips, chief executive of the Surf Lifesaving School, which runs the program, said it would help fund education programs and the clubs' general operations.

"The charity dollar is exceptionally difficult to raise these days," he said. "I think there's something like 60,000 charities in Australia."

That imposed heavy demands on the public to donate money, he said. "There's only so many times you can knock on the door. We can't keep asking people to increase that."

Instead, he wants to increase his organisation's revenue by earning money because it is more efficient than only relying on public donations.

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Greg Nance, chief executive of Surf Life Saving Australia, said his organisation's research showed people were discerning about donations and preferred to give to something local and tangible.

While the program would mean activities were conducted on the beach, John Andrews, of the Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association, said it would only be a problem if it mean one group of beachgoers was given priority.

"The beach is a public place where people can go and be involved in the full range of public activities," he said.

Hosting business meetings is not the only way surf clubs are trying to raise money, and Surf Life Saving NSW now holds public donation collections.

A spokesman, Jonathan Abrahams, said that while demand for its services was increasing, "we are doing it tough" after increases in public liability insurance and the cramped charity market.

Surf clubs are also pushing to be able to sell alcohol to non-members more than the 26 functions a year they are now allowed. The proposal is still being considered by the State Government.